Stereotype



(No Model.)

M. BENNITT. I STEREOTYPE PLATE AND HOLDER.

No. 484,082. Patented Oct. 11, 1892.

u w: y a, C 5 Q WK 5 e :u f I "v f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK BENNITT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE AN D HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 48%,082, dated October 11, 1892.

Application filed December 29, 1891. Serial No. 416,461. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARK BENNITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, Erie county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereotype-Plates and Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved means for detachably holding and securing printing-plates to their blocks, beds, or basepieces, and is designed more particularly for use in connection with stereotype or similar plates employed in printing newspapers, although the invention may be applied to and used with advantage on all classes of such plates when removable from their supportingblocks.

, Heretofore various devices have been employed for temporarily securing plates to their blocks, one well-known means for this purpose consisting in providing the adjacent faces of the plates and blocks with interlocking or dovetailed joints, so that by sliding one part upon the other lengthwise of the joint they may be secured together or separated. In another class of devices for this purpose the contacting faces of the parts at the center or to one side only have interlocking portions so arranged that by an independent lateral movement of either the plate or its base-block the parts can be separated or brought into engagement. When so engaged or interlocked, high column-rules or other special furniture are employed to retain the parts in position and prevent disengagement while in use. These devices, however, are all more or less objectionable, as with the dovetail-joint connection an extended movement of one part upon the other is necessary to connect or separate them, thus rendering the operation inconvenient and slow, especially where the plates are of considerable length, as in newspaper work. In the other class of devices, as already intimated, special kinds of furniture are requisite, thereby increasing the cost, while at the same time the plates are liable to become detached or work up from their blocks at the edges, especially where the connection is mainly at one side, thus resulting in imperfect work or other objections. The object of my invention is to overcome these and-other objections incident to the old forms of locking devices of the character specified and to provide means whereby the plates may be easily and conveniently applied and firmly secured to the blocks or base-pieces without the danger of becoming loose or the necessity of using high or otherwise specially-constructed furniture, while. at the same time the plates may be easily and quickly detached and directly lifted from the blocks upon unlocking the form to permit a slight play of the parts.

To these ends my invention consists in providing the lower side of the plate with two parallel undercut projections or bearing-faces and in making the block or base-piece in two or more independent sections, each having one undercut projectionor bearing-face corresponding to the faces on the plate. These block-sections are then reversed in position below the plate, so that the bearing-face of one will engage and interlock with one bearing-face of the plate, while the bearing-face of the other section will engage and interlock the other or second bearing-face of the plate, the parts being thus secured together when held against independent lateral movement, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end View of a stereotype-plate and its block, the parts being secured together according to my invention. slightly elevated at one side. Fig. 3 is a perspective view with the plate detached and above the base. Fig. 4c is an end view showing a different application of the invention. Fig.5 is a similar view with the plate slightly elevated; and Fig. 6 is a perspective View, the plate being detached and above the base.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a printing-plate, and B its supporting base or block, the latter being divided transversely into two or more independent sections, as may be most convenient.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the plate A is thickened or otherwise provided at each side edge with a depending shoulder or flange a, extending the length thereof. The lower face I) of each flange is preferably fiat, while the inner face 0 is undercut or beveled to constitute a locking-face. The base-sections d are each recessed at e along the upper side of one end,

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the plate and this recessed portion has alower flat face f and an undercut or beveled locking-face g,

these parts corresponding with the similar by reversing the positions of the sections (161,.

as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the projecting lip or locking-face g of one basesection being preferably adjacent to the rabbeted portion h of the next section, and so on throughout the entire length of the base. Then thus arranged, the base-sections are successively inserted between the flanges a a of the plate, the beveled face g of one section engaging and interlocking with the corresponding face 0 upon one of said flanges, while the guideface 2' at the opposite end of the section prevents independent movement when the parts are fully and finally adjusted to position, as indicated in Fig. 1. The next base-section is then brought into position in like manner, the lip or beveled face 9 thereof engaging with the flange a at the opposite side of the plate, While its rabbeted portion it receives the opposite flange, as will be understood.

In the form of thedevice shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the plate and base-sections have interlocking parts,which are in effect the same as those already described; butinstead of the side flanges on the plate the latter is provided with a central offset or rib 7c, of any suitable width, the rib being preferably formed by thickening the plate. The edge faces Not the rib are undercut or beveled in opposite directions to form locking faces or lips m m, and these lips extend the entire length of the plate. The basesections cl d in this instance are each centrally grooved at n to receive the rib on the plate, the width and depth of the groove being such as to insure a neat joint. One side face 0 of the groove in each section is beveled or inclined inwardly to engage with the corresponding face on the rib is when the parts are engaged, the opposite side 19 of the groove being by preference parallel with the face 0 to guide the rib to its seat, and thus facilitate the interlocking of the parts. The face 19 may, however, be vertical, if desired, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 6. The parts when arranged'as just described may be secured together substantially in the manner previously explained, the base-sections being reversed in position to bring the locking-faces 0 on the alternate sections successively into engagement with the like faces Z on opposite sides of the rib 7c when the latter is inserted and seated in the groove 11 and the parts are fully adjusted to position, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be apparent that when the plate is fully seated upon the base-sections, with the parts placed and interlocked as stated, the plate and sections are held against independent lateral and vertical movement by the contacting faces, and when thebase is locked up in any printing-form of ordinary construction the plate will be securely fastened to the base without danger of displacement while in use. It will also be seen that the employment of special leads, column-rules, or other similar furniture is dispensed with, while upon unlocking the form to permit a slight play of v the base-sections the plate may be easily and quickly detached and lifted directly from its base.

While I have thus set forth the preferredembodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that the details may be varied somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact constructions shown.

I claim 1. The combination, with the plate having two locking-faces oppositely arranged, of a base or block consisting of two or more independent sections of substantially the width of the plate, each section provided with a lockingface adapted to engage one of said lockingfaces on the plate, the sections being reversed in position when in normal engagement with the plate, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the plate having two oppositelyarranged inclined lockingfaces on its under side, of a base composed of two or more independent sections of substantially the width of the plate, each section provided with a similar locking-face adapted to engage one of said locking-faces on the plate, anda guide-face to engage the other of said locking-faces thereon, the sections being reversed in position when in normal engagement with the plate, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with theplate provided with edge flanges, each having an undercut locking-face, of a base composed of two or more independent sections, each having an undercut locking-face at one end and a rabbet at the opposite end, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the plate having depending flanges, each provided with an inner inclined locking-face, of a base consisting of two or more independent sections, each having an undercut locking-face at one end and a vertical guide-face at the other, substantially as described.

name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARK BENNITT.

WVitnesses:

GEO. S. HULL, OHAs. W. STUART. 

